Hinged section for umbrella tops



July 31, 1962 s. N. SMALL 3,046,701

HINGED SECTIONS FOR UMBRELLA TOPS Filed June 15, 1959 IN V EN TOR.

5/7/4051. A/ SMHLL BY H TTORNE Y United States This invention relates to umbrella tops constructed from a plurality of pairs of rigid sections hinged together at adjacent edge portions for movement of the umbrella top into extended use position and collapsed position. More particularly, the invention deals in the hinging of the sections one with respect to the other to facilitate collapsibility of the umbrella top and, further, in the coupling of brace rods with the ribs of the umbrella top, the ribs constituting hinge pins, about which the pairs of sections are swingably mounted in movement of the sections into the extended and collapsed positions.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is an edge and partial perspective plan view showing one complete section of a pair of sections and opposed end portions of other sections of the pairs of sections hingedly coupled with the first mentioned section, the sections being shown in the extended or open position.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic edge view of the sections illustrated in FIG. 1, illustrating at least a partial collapsed position of the sections.

FIG. 3 is a sectional detail view generally looking in the direction of the arrow 3 of FIG. 1 at substantially the central portion of the length of adjacent sections illustrating the coupling of a brace rod therewith, with part of the construction broken away.

FIG. 4 is a View generally similar to the showing in FIG. 3 of one section detached and omitting the rib of said section.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the adjacent portion of the companion section of a pair of sections, with part of the construction broken away and in section; and

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view on the line 6--6 of FIG. 3 illustrating the pivotal coupling of the brace rod with the bracket fixed to the rib of the umbrella.

My invention deals with umbrellas generally of the type and kind disclosed in my prior application, Serial Number 731,409, filed April 28, 1958, now Patent No. 2,967,379, and is concerned primarily with the formation of the pairs of rigid sections of the umbrella and the method of coupling the brace rods with the spaced ribs of the sections.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, 10 represents one of the sections in each pair and 11 represents one end portion of the other section of the pair. To the right of FIG. 1, I have indicated at 11' the opposed end portion of the sections 11. In other words, the left end portion of the section 11 will have the end structure as shown on the section 11', 11' in reality constituting the second section of a next adjacent pair of sections which would include a section similar to the section 10.

In FIG. 1, an outer edge portion of the respective sections is indicated with a part of the top portion of the sections being illustrated to indicate that the side edge portions of each of the sections are contracted toward the upper central portion of the umbrella top; whereas, in FIG. 2 of the drawing, the edge portions only of the sections are illustrated simply to indicate at least the partial collapsed position of the sections.

atent 3,046,701 Patented July 31, 1962 ice Considering FIG. 1 of the drawing, it will appear that the left side edge portion of the section 10-has a short offset, as at 12, joining an outwardly extending straight wall portion 13, the latter terminating in a rounded hinge portion 14. The adjacent edge portion of the section 11 or, in other words, the righthand edge portion, has an offset 15, similar to the offset 12, a short straight wall. portion 16 extending to a rib encircling hinge portion 17 through an irregularly curved wall portion 18, provided to offset the Wall 16 sufficiently to receive the hinge portion 14 and also portions of a bracket 19, later described, as will be apparent.

Arranged in the hinge portion 17 is a rib 20 which extends the full length of the hinge portion 17 and, in fact, the upper end of the rib 20 projects for mounting at the umbrella top in any desired manner.

The other or righthand side edge portion of the section 10 has a curved hinge portion 21 which seats and operates in a curved hinge portion 22 of the section 11. In the present showing, the hinge portion 22 is illustrated as on a section 11', rather than on the section 11, it being understood, however, that each section 10 and 11 will be of the same construction.

From the foregoing, it will appear that a plurality of pairs of the sections 10 and 11 will make up a complete umbrella top and each pair of sections will include one of the ribs 20. The ribs 20, in addition to forming the support for the brace rods of the umbrella, later described, serve to reinforce and strengthen the hinge connection between the sections 10 and 11. The wall 12 is sufficiently offset with respect to the curved hinge portion 14 to allow the adjacent edge portion of the section 11 to collapse within the space 23 in the manner illustrated, in

part, in FIG. 2 of the drawing. On the other hand, the offset of the wall- 15 with respect to the hinge portion 17 provides clearance for reception of the hinge portion 14, as will be clearly apparent from a consideration of FIG. 1 of the drawing.

It will also appear, from a consideration of FIG. 1 of the drawing, that the walls 13 and 16 are offset with respect to the axis of the rib 20 sufficiently to provide clearance for the hinge portions 17, 14, respectively.

Turning now to FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawing, it will appear that, at a position substantially midway between the upper and lower ends of each of the hinge portions 14, 17, these hinge portions are cutout, the cutout of the hinge portion 17 being clearly illustrated at '24 in FIG. 4 of the drawing and is materially greater in length than the cutout 25 in the hinge portion 14. The bracket 19 previously referred to comprises a sheet metal part having split ends encircling and crimped upon the rod 20, as indicated at 26, one of these crimped portions being shown in elevation at the left of FIG. 3 of the drawing. Intermediate the crimped portions, the bracket includes a pair of upwardly extending ears 27, note FIG. 6 of the drawing, Within and between which is positioned the apertured end 28 of a brace rod 29, the rod 29 being shown, in part, in FIG. 3 of the drawing. A rivet or other pivot means 30 provides the pivotal connection of the rod 29 with the bracket 19. The cutout, as at 25, is sufiicient to clear the cars 27, as will appear from a consideration of FIG. 3 of the drawing; whereas, the longer cutout 24 in the hinge portion 17 is sufiicient to receive the full length of the bracket, including the end portions 26. The cutouts, as at 24 and 25, in the hinge portions 17 and 14, respectively, are sufiicient to provide free swinging movement of the pairs of sections one upon the other from the extended position of FIG. 1 to the collapsed position, indicated, in part, in FIG. 2 of the drawing.

It will also be understood that the offsets of the walls 12, 13, 15 and 16 also provide clearance for movement of the bracket 19 Within the wall portions of the joined sections. It will also be understood that the bracket 19, in addition to providing the pivotal support for the brace rod 29, also operates to definitely key and position the pairs of sections on the rib. In the initial assembly of the sections, the hinge portions 14 and 17 are in a more or less open position to facilitate positioning of the rib 20 with the bracket 19 fixed thereto within the hinge portions; whereupon, by the use of suitable tools, these hinge portions are moved into their operative position and, when so formed, it will be understood that the sections 10 and 11 are retained against any possible displacement from the rib 20.

The pairs of sections 10 and 11 can be formed from sheet metal or any other suitable rigid material. These sections can all be formed of a single color and, in other instances, the sections in each pair can be of contrasting colors and, in fact, the coloring of other pairs of sections can vary from those of adjacent sections. For purposes of description, the sections may be said to comprise interfitting curved hinge portions at adjacent edges thereof with olfset walls providing clearance facilitating movement of the sections into different positions.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A structure of the character described, comprising a plurality of pairs of sections, each section of the pair having contracted side edge portions, adjacent side edge portions of the sections having interfitting curved hinge portions, one of said hinge portions directly engaging a rib extending longitudinally of the hinge portion, the hinge portions of each of said sections including adjacent the curved portions thereof wall portions angularly offset with respect to each other in providing clearances for movement of the sections into extended and collapsed positions, at least one of the offset wall portions of each section being straight and parallel to the body portion of its section, outer side edge portions of said pairs of sections including other interfitting curved hinge portions hingedly joining one pair of sections with adjacent pairs of sections, a bracket fixed to said rib at a point intermediate the ends of the rib, and the first named curved hinge portions of said pairs of sections being cutout to clear said bracket in hinge movement of the sections one with respect to the other.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said bracket includes means forming a pivotal coupling for a brace rod therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 811,948 Nevin Feb. 6, 1906 1,282,233 Kehoe Oct. 22, 1918 1,894,012 Wemlinger June 10, 1933 2,546,099 Jamison et al Mar. 20, 1951 2,652,587 Petersen Sept, 22, 1953 2,731,927 McCain Jan. 24, 1956 2,967,379 Small Jan. 10, 1961 

